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Lovinghome 09:11 AM 11-27-2016
I am closing my in home daycare. I have contacted all the parents giving them a 2 week notice. One of the parents text me later the same day, saying she found someone to watch her baby for the last week of this month. She is now asking if she can have the money back for the last week of care since her child will not be coming. My policy says that parents are to give at least a 30 day notice when terminating care. It does not say anything about me having to give them any kind of notice when should I close my center. It also does not say anything about giving them money back if they terminate care for their child. Should i give her money back for the week her baby will not be in my care?
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Unregistered 09:57 AM 11-27-2016
I would give it back.
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Blackcat31 10:22 AM 11-27-2016
If I was open and available to provide care for her I would NOT refund. Business is business.
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Snowmom 05:09 PM 11-27-2016
Is it a deposit she's asking to be refunded or pre-paid care?

I would reply: I'm happy you've found a suitable replacement for dck. However, as outlined in your contract, you are required to give proper notice upon terminating and your paid monies will be applied to that notice period.
I do not pro-rate services. Thank you for your understanding.
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Mike 05:09 PM 11-27-2016
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
If I was open and available to provide care for her I would NOT refund. Business is business.

She didn't need someone to watch her baby while you're still open, so if she wants to switch ahead of time, that's her choice, but also her expense.

You can refund if you want to be nice about it, but you don't owe it to her.
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Unregistered 06:42 PM 11-27-2016
Sorry, I forgot my login information.

I do have a question, is this a deposit she wants returned or a payment she had already made. Either way, I personally would return it. Since you did give her two weeks notice that was nice, but with that they obviously have the opportunity to give you a 30 day notice. Given the notice she may have had to take this new spot before she was passed over. In reality it may be hard to find quality daycare in two weeks.

Speaking from experience you may decide to reopen some day and this may effect your reputation.
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Blackcat31 06:13 AM 11-28-2016
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
Sorry, I forgot my login information.

I do have a question, is this a deposit she wants returned or a payment she had already made. Either way, I personally would return it. Since you did give her two weeks notice that was nice, but with that they obviously have the opportunity to give you a 30 day notice. Given the notice she may have had to take this new spot before she was passed over. In reality it may be hard to find quality daycare in two weeks.

Speaking from experience you may decide to reopen some day and this may effect your reputation.
Curious as to why you think the loss should be absorbed by the provider?

If the family needed to secure the spot in the new daycare before the old one is closed why is the provider the one to take the loss in income? Just because she is closing?

I look at it like moving and buying a house.

If you close on the new house earlier than you vacate or sell the old house you usually end up having an overlap in house payments and make one for both places for that one month. Very common.

Why is child care any different?

fwiw~ I'm not needling you personally, just wondering about your line of though in general. Just wondering why so many providers jump on the empathy or emotional wagon when making these types of decisions.....
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daycarediva 09:49 AM 11-28-2016
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
If I was open and available to provide care for her I would NOT refund. Business is business.
Originally Posted by Mike:

She didn't need someone to watch her baby while you're still open, so if she wants to switch ahead of time, that's her choice, but also her expense.

You can refund if you want to be nice about it, but you don't owe it to her.


When I close this year, I am putting in my letter that I will not accept notice during the termination period, parents will be required to pay regardless of attendance, etc. to avoid this.
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Max 10:37 AM 11-28-2016
Originally Posted by Lovinghome:
My policy says that parents are to give at least a 30 day notice when terminating care.
I think this becomes a little muddy since the parents rec'd a 2 week notice and can't possibly provide a 30 day notice anymore.

Either way, I think it's ok to still require payment, if that is what your contract supports. I've heard of a few providers getting burned when giving families 2 weeks notice so I'm adopting the 2 week deposit rule upon enrollment! Sorry but no refunds

Originally Posted by daycarediva:


When I close this year, I am putting in my letter that I will not accept notice during the termination period, parents will be required to pay regardless of attendance, etc. to avoid this.
That's a good solution!
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Max 10:39 AM 11-28-2016
I also agree with BC's 1st post. The parents should have looked for care to begin after the 2 weeks. If they had to start sooner to secure a spot, then I bet they're asking just to see if it's possible to avoid double paying for a week.
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Unregistered 03:21 PM 11-28-2016
If it's a deposit that they want returned, it seems it should only be fair. through not fault of the family they are losing a childcare provider and should be returned that money given that they only have two weeks notice, while the provider requires 30 days from them. My handbook does not have a clause about me closing, but it does have for the parents that it goes towards their last two weeks of care as long as I get two weeks notice. It just seems that since the provider is the one that is the cause of the situation (closing) that the provider should be the one willing to take the loss. I know that when I closed my home daycare before reopening a few years later I gave notice and used Thur deposits towards the last two weeks. Had they have asked for it back instead of staying those two weeks I would have gladly done that. ,
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
Curious as to why you think the loss should be absorbed by the provider?

If the family needed to secure the spot in the new daycare before the old one is closed why is the provider the one to take the loss in income? Just because she is closing?

I look at it like moving and buying a house.

If you close on the new house earlier than you vacate or sell the old house you usually end up having an overlap in house payments and make one for both places for that one month. Very common.

Why is child care any different?

fwiw~ I'm not needling you personally, just wondering about your line of though in general. Just wondering why so many providers jump on the empathy or emotional wagon when making these types of decisions.....

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Tags:2 week notice, closing daycare
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